On October 11, the Inter-American Defense Board (IADB), with the support of the Ministry of Defense of Peru, celebrated, in person and virtually, at the Casa del Soldado facilities in Washington (USA). , his “I Conference on Environmental Protection”.
Aimed at the general public, the event was organized with the objective of providing useful and updated information, from different perspectives, on the lessons learned and good practices of the Armed Forces and security in environmental protection, so that they can be evaluated. by the member countries of the IADB and thus help them develop measures that favor their implementation throughout the hemisphere.
The First Conference on Environmental Protection was also a valuable opportunity to collect information on the subject from the IADB member states, which will allow the development of a database capable of contributing to new processes of implementation of actions aimed at the protection of biodiversity, strengthening the improvement of environmental legislation, the management of water resources, raising awareness about climate change and promoting sustainability within the framework of the Defense and Security Forces of the American continent.
When welcoming the participants, Brigadier Flávio Luiz de Oliveira Pinto, Director General of the IADB Secretariat, highlighted the importance of the initiative in promoting knowledge and experiences aimed at expanding good environmental practices on the continent. "This event marks a significant moment in joining efforts to promote environmental protection throughout the hemisphere," he stated.
The conference was inaugurated by the Minister of Defense of Peru, Brigadier General Jorge Luis Chávez Cresta, who spoke of the importance of providing everyone, more than knowledge, "a moment of reflection and identification of the serious environmental damage that our planet suffers today and that many countries are committed to creating and laying the foundations to protect and conserve it.
Panels held throughout the conference addressed the following topics:
– “Aerospace capabilities that contribute to the care of the environment”, by Brigadier General Marcos Francisco Robles Bocanegra, of the Peruvian Air Force.
– “Environmental Management: Environmental Protection Actions Applied in Military Organizations of the Brazilian Navy”, by Captain Alvaristo Nagem Dair Junior, of the Brazilian Navy.
– “The contribution of SEDENA to the protection of the environment”, given by Colonel José Luis Rebolledo Zaragoza, of the Mexican Army.
– “The need to reduce the environmental impact of illicit drug manufacturing in the Americas,” by Deborah Maestre, OAS/CICAD Project Officer.
– “The role of the Military Forces in protecting the environment and strengthening environmental governance in the Colombian Amazon,” by Brigadier General César Augusto Parra León, of the Colombian Army.
– “Climate change and the role of the Armed Forces”, by Captain PHD Patrick Paterson, from the Perry Center of the United States.
– “More than 130 days of wildfires – The support of the Canadian Armed Forces for the 2023 wildfire season”, taught by Colonel Chris Henderson, from Canada.
When referring to the event, Colonel Luis Alberto Arrascue Avellaneda, of the Peruvian Air Force, coordinator of the Conference and head of the Natural Disasters and Environment Section of the IADB, highlighted the success of the initiative. «I want to highlight the will, commitment and importance that each of the countries that are part of the IADB had in the development of this Conference, contributing to more people being able to take advantage of the always valuable information that arises in these instances and that materializes compliance with the mandates assigned to the IADB by the Organization of American States.
The event was closed by Ambassador Gustavo Lino Adrianzén Olaya, President of the Hemispheric Security Commission of the Organization of American States, who highlighted the importance of regional cooperation and joint action to protect the environment. "In an ever-changing world, it is essential that we work together to address the environmental challenges we face and preserve the beauty and richness of our hemisphere for future generations," he said.
The President of the Council of Delegates of the IADB, Brigadier General Marco Antonio Álvares Reyes, closed the I Environmental Protection Conference by thanking the participants. “Caring for the environment is an international commitment that impacts democracy, development, human rights and security. I thank everyone for the contribution, the experiences and the learning they gave us today,” he concluded.
With a total of 6,609 registered, the Conference was attended by nine members of the IADB Council of Delegates and a representative of the Inter-American Defense College, covering a total of 43 countries and regions: Albania, Angola, Algeria, Argentina, Bahrain , Bolivia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Spain, United States, Philippines, France, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Jordan, Italy, Lebanon , Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Kenya, Central African Republic, Dominican Republic, Saint Lucia, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela.
The complete recording of the Conference can be found on the IADB page on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dHwCZRS_KM
